Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, the “1950s takeover” persists in celebration of the recent release of my first book, Great American Sitcoms of the 1950s, which you can order here (or on Amazon here — and if so, leave a good review!), as I’m continuing the series of “rerun” posts on previously covered fifties sitcoms. As usual, I’ve provided a link to a piece that I first published many seasons ago, followed by a bit of updated commentary, previewing my book.
Today, let’s revisit… When Buddy Met Carol: The Best of STANLEY: https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/08/26/when-buddy-met-carol-the-best-of-stanley/
This single-season 19-episode curio was resurrected via a DVD release capitalizing on interest in its two stars, Buddy Hackett and Carol Burnett, and it’s actually something I first discussed on a long-ago Wildcard Wednesday. But it’s a fitting rerun for this series because it’s an example of another great thing about my book: I don’t just examine the classics — I examine anything and everything that’s interesting, including short-lived and lesser-known titles like Stanley. In fact, Stanley’s truly a fascinating show — not just for its stars, but because it’s one of the last fully live sitcoms from New York. As the 1950s began, most sitcoms were broadcast live from New York, but the success of I Love Lucy and other similar endeavors gradually shifted these trends towards film and, of course, Hollywood. Stanley was a valiant push by producer Max Liebman to halt this migration, and while it ultimately wasn’t successful (there was only one more live sitcom broadcast from New York that debuted after this), it’s an exciting effort because of its collection of talent. In addition to Hackett and Burnett onscreen, writers for the show included many of Sid Caesar’s favorites — Lucille Kallen, Danny Simon and Neil Simon, plus a young Woody Allen. Despite some thin characters and uninspired ideas, these talented folk kept the show bright and affable — enlivened today by our awareness of what they later accomplished. As for Stanley, you may also be surprised to see an offering make my “Top 50 Sitcom Episodes of the 1950s” list — one of the 14/19 entries that features Burnett as Buddy’s girlfriend Celia. It’s a funny half hour that showcases her well, and it was important for me to have a few live sitcoms represented on my list. Incidentally, this is the only single-season sitcom to contribute to that collection (aside from The Honeymooners, of course) — although it’s certainly not the only one I discuss… Pick up the book for more on single-season curios from the fifties!
Come back next week for more 1950s fun! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!